Liam and the others were getting anxious. And when a man gets anxious, it ans there’s a weakness. With a weakness, it’s easier to crack them.
Over the next twenty minutes, Magnus worked them over - pressure, persuasion, whatever it took. And just like that, he got to the bottom of why they were really here.
But that wasn’t the part that mattered. The real blow ca when Magnus spoke to each of them alone, one by one. Carrot and stick, bluffing and baiting - he confird what he already suspected: Cliff’s plan, the one he made back at the eting.
Trade a large batch of food from Magnus now... and then later? Attack Ashbrook Town.
A cold sneer crept across Magnus’ face. When he finally told Chloe to bring the six of them into the RV lounge, they had already lost the attitude they ca in with. Heads low, faces grim - none of them looked proud anymore.
None of them knew exactly who cracked first, but they all understood one thing: the kid across from them had wrung everything out of each of them.
And now? When the main force ca for the trade in a few days... what if Magnus sold them out? What then? Were they even going to make it back?
"I’m curious," Magnus said, lighting a cigarette and settling in across from them. "How do you plan on reporting this back to Cliff?"
Liam let out a long breath and t his eyes. "Just say it. What is it you want us to say?"
Magnus gave a half-smile, easy and calm. "That’s not my call. I was just wondering. You don’t have to tell if you don’t want to."
The middle-aged man beside Liam, clearly so kind of political officer, stared at Magnus, still stunned.
How had this kid figured it out? How did he know about Cliff’s plan to trade first and strike second? They were all soldiers - no amount of torture or bribery should’ve been enough to make them talk.
The political officer shook his head slightly. "I still don’t get it. How did you get anyone to speak?"
As he said it, his eyes locked on Liam. "Anyone" was generous. What he actually ant was Liam. He was sure Liam was the one who’d broken first.
"Why the hell are you looking at like that?" Liam exploded. "You want to bla soone, try looking in a mirror. Don’t act all righteous now!"
"Liam!" The officer snapped. "You still think you can play innocent? Out of all six of us, only you and I know the general’s nickna is Emberleaf. The mont this kid walked in, he called him ’Emberleaf.’ If you didn’t tell him, who the hell did? A ghost?!"
Cliff’s nickna had only slipped out over drinks recently. Just the two of them knew. Cliff had been drunk, let it slip, then strictly ordered them to shut up about it.
"Bullshit," Liam snarled. "You’re the one who told him. When he ca to , he already knew, damn it! And during our talk - he said it all himself. I didn’t say a damn word. I just sat there and listened. Now I’m the traitor?"
Truth was, Magnus had slipped up on the nickna by accident. In his past life, he’d called Cliff "Emberleaf" more tis than he could count. The mont he said it and saw the officer’s face change, he knew - he’d hit a nerve. There was sothing there. And he was right.
Cliff wanting to trade for food before hitting Ashbrook Town - Magnus had just guessed that. Turned out, he hit the nail on the head. Sotis luck plays its hand.
"Enough. Quit the noise," Magnus cut in, not bothering to explain further. "Still the sa question. Once you get back, how are you gonna report our situation here to Cliff?"
Liam let out a frustrated sigh. "We’ll tell the truth. You’ve got over 7,600 people, more than ten thousand guns, ammo too much to count. On top of that, infantry vehicles, dozens of them, and over two thousand various crystals. All things we saw with our own eyes." He added that last part on purpose - smart move.
"If that’s what you say, will your general believe it? We’re just regular folks. No rogue army backing us. Where’d all that gear co from?" Magnus asked, pushing subtly.
"You don’t have help from the rogue armies?" Liam frowned, unsure what Magnus was getting at. "Then who are those soldiers outside?" He was talking about Evan’s n.
"Those are Ridgebreak Battalion’s 13th Division," Magnus said calmly. They were, even if they’d turned.
That clicked sothing for the political officer. He exhaled and said, "I get it now. You’re from the 13th Division of Ridgehaven City. At least 80,000 strong. Only a tenth stationed here at the underground granary, the elite unit, fully ard."
Seeing they were quick on the uptake, Magnus relaxed a little. "Honestly, you did your big division a favor by coming here. You’ve seen it yourselves - we’ve got over 800 gold crystals in the regint. Now, imagine 500 of us, each using one of those crystals, hitting your main force on the road. How many n do you think would actually survive that?"
He wasn’t bluffing. The crystals were real. And 500 ambushers could tear through tens of thousands in an hour, easy. Liam and his crew went dead silent.
That was enough. Magnus stood, ready to see them off. Just as they were about to leave, he paused and asked, "By the way, do you have soone in your ranks nad Oliver?"
"Oliver?" Liam paused, surprised. "He’s been promoted. Runs our entire logistics operation now. Practically Cliff’s right hand. Why, you know him?"
Magnus just smiled. "Nah, just asking. Just a reminder - don’t go turning your guns on your own n."
Turning our guns on our own n? That threw them for a loop. Did that an Oliver was on Magnus’ side too? No wonder Magnus knew the general’s pet na...and their deploynt schedule.
After they left, Magnus went back to the RV’s lounge, smug. It was a ga of smoke and mirrors - truth, lies, and everything in between.
He wasn’t worried about Liam turning on him. If they did, nothing would change - they’d co in fighting. But now? They’d probably hesitate. None of them could say for sure how deep his ties ran in Cliff’s forces. For all they knew, betrayal might get them killed first.
Still, guessing wasn’t enough. Magnus had to keep prepping - lock down defenses, watch out for Cliff, and the other city-level forces. And those trump cards he had tucked away? Ti to start putting them to use.
User Comments
0 comments from readers